A DARTMOOR prisoner has been told he may spend the rest of his life behind bars for the savage murder of the fellow inmate who he accused of disrespecting him.

William Tolcher was jailed for life for the murder of Alex Cusworth and told it is unlikely he will ever be given parole.

The inmate, known inside jail as Scouse Willy, was already serving a life term for another murder when he stabbed Cusworth to death with a ten inch knife in the kitchens at Dartmoor Prison last November.

Judge Mr Justice Dingemans imposed another life sentence and told Tolcher he must serve at least 33 years before he can apply for parole.

He told him: ‘The parole board may never consider you fit for release. I am sure you are an extremely dangerous man because you have been convicted of murdering two persons.

‘You are a complete stranger to the truth and willing to say anything to anyone in an attempt to manipulate proper processes and secure your release.

‘This is a very sad case. It was a murder for no good reason by a person who has shown he is a killer and acts without remorse.’

Alex Cusworth, aged 37, of Teignmouth, was in Dartmoor serving an eight-year-term for grievous bodily harm.

In a moving victim impact statement his mother Anne Edgeller said: ‘My son was failed by every establishment in the country. He was a very vulnerable young man with mental health issues whose biggest desire was to live a normal life.

‘Alex, I am very, very sorry. I was not there to protect you when you needed it the most.’

Tolcher, aged 51, from Liverpool, who was already serving a life sentence for the murder of Kathryn Sharples in Newquay 20 years ago, denied murder but was convicted by a jury at Plymouth Crown Court.

They rejected his claim that he had been framed by a ‘Top Dog’ inside the moorland jail.

The stabbing was vicious attempt to settle a score. He grabbed Alex and plunged the knife into his abdomen as they were both working in the kitchens.

He was heard to say ‘you won’t talk to me like that’ and later told another inmate he had stabbed Cusworth.